Line-throwing gun



Mar. 27, 1923.

J. H. SAYRES.

LINE THROWING GUN.

2 SHEETS SHEET l- HLED JUNE 6,1919

Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,449. 1. H. SAYRES.

LINE THROWING GUN.

FILED JUNE 6,1919- 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- 5 nuewto'c OHN H. 84/1 23 aflo'omup Patented Mar. 27, 1923. i

JOHN H. SAYRES, 0F BROOKLYN, YORK.

LINE-THROWING GUN.

Application filed June a,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN H. SAYRES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 4:52 Classon Avenue, in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Throwing Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to line throwing guns, particularly to a gun adapted to be fired from a ships deck or from the shore to project a life line. The object of my invention is to provide a gun of improved type in which the frame or base oir which the gun is mounted is substantially flat, to mount the gun thereon by pivoting it at its breech end to one end of the frame, and to provide elevating means connected toward the opposite end of the frame and adjustable to secure a wide range of elevation. It is also the object of my invention to so simplify the general construction that the gun and its base are less expensive to manufacture, and more compact, to provide such amounting that the gun will not somersault when fired.

. to afford a broader base than usual for its support, to lower the center of gravity and thereby insure steadier and straighter shooting, to provide a gun of light weight which may be readily carried and shifted in position by hand, to secure a wide range of elevation and to so mount the gun upon its base that the fuse hole or other firing elements are always readily accessible.

In the accompanying -drawings Fig. 1 is a broken plan of a gun in which my invention is embodied in one form, the elevating mechanism being omitted to more clearly disclose the construction of the base;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of 1+ ig. 1;

3 is a front elevation of the gun and base complete;

Fig. 1 is a plan of a modified construction;

. 5 is a side elevation thereof; and

. 6 is a front elevation thereof.

- eferring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the gun proper 10 is here shown as of the usual type. Instead of the usual gun carriage, however, I have provided a was 1919. serial No. 302,103.

low gun base comprising, in the form here shown, a pair of flat bars 11 and 12 set on edge and spaced wide apart at the forward end of the base by a strap 13, the end flanges 14: and 15 of which are united to the side bars 11 and 12 by any suitable means, such as bo1ts'l6 and 17. At the rear end of the base the bars 11 and 12 are offset into close proximity, being spaced apart at this point by only a thin filler block 18, through which pass not only the rivets 19 and 20, but also the securing bolts 21 and 22. The latter also fasten in position the angle plates 23 and 24.- which fonn a broad foot piece at the breech end of the base. Extending rearwardly from the breech of the 25 of substantially the same thickness as the filler 18 and pivoted on the rivet 20 so that the gun may be swung through an arc of practically 90 degrees of elevation. In the p-resent'construction the lug 25 is shown as an independent piece secured to the gun by a threaded connection at the breech, but located of course to the rear of the fuse hole 26 opening to the charge chamber.

The elevation ofthe gun is secured by means of a pair of strut arms 27 and 28, here shown integral in the form of a yoke. The lower ends of the arms are adjustably secured to the base bars 11 and 12 by means of a readily detachable pin 29 passing through holes in the ends of the arms and registering pairs of holes 30 in the base bars, there being a longitudinal series of such holes to permit of various elevations. The connection between the strut arms and the gun body is secured by means of a readily detachable pin 31 passing through registering pairs of a series of holes 32 in the upper ends of the arms 27 and 28, and also through holes in the lugs 33 and 34 at opposite ends of the saddle 35, which is secured to the mid area of the gun by the ciamping plate 33 and bolts 3?.

In order to hold the in fixed position upon the firing platform or the deck of a ship, the spacing strap 13 is perforated at to receive securing spikes, screws or bolts. To the same end, the flange plates 23 and 24 at the rear of the base, are similarly perforated at 39.

The economy of this construction is obgun is a lug 'ious since the base is made up of bar metal .nd flange plates, all of standard type and 'eadily shaped as. required. The firing hrus't is taken by the low base close to the gun support, so that there is no tendency f the gun to somersault, as frequently occurs where a carriage of the usual type is emloyed. Adjustment of elevation'is easily ind quickly secured by manipulation of the pins 29 and 31.

The construction of Figs. 4, and 6 differs in detail from that just described, but embodies the same general features. In this modification the base comprises a pair of parallel flange plates 40 and 41 extendmg the len th of and forming the sides of the base. it the breech end of the gun they are spaced apart b casting 42, secured thereto by bolts 43. he gun breech is pivoted in a bay 44 formed in the casting, and the pivot pin 45 passes directly through the sohd portion of the breech below the bore 46, to which opens the fuse hole 47. At the forward end of the base the angle plates 40 and 41 are rigidly spaced apart by a bolt 48, beneath the nuts 49 of which are clamped the lugs 50 of anchor eyes 51.

The elevation of the gun is secured by means of a pair of strut rods 52 and 53 arranged on opposite sides of the gun and pivoted at their lower ends on a cross-pm 54 passing through the flange bars 40 and 41. At their upper ends the struts pass through clamping stirrups 55 and 56 mounted on a cross-bolt 57 which passes through lugs 58 formed on the gun saddle 59. A screw handle 60 on one end of the bolt 57 affords draw-up means, by means of which the stirrups 55 and 56 are clamped upon the rods 52 and 53 to hold the gun in the position of angular elevation to which it is adjusted.

When the gun is not in use the pin 54 may be withdrawn from engagement with strut rods 52 and 53 and thereafter reinserted, thus permitting the gun to take the compact position shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 5.

In order to permit the gun to be readily moved from place to place I have shown handles 61 formed onthe casting 42, by

means of which and the cross-pin 48 the gun may be lifted and carried from place to place or shifted in position by hand. In Fig. 5 I have shown a projectile 62 of usual type inserted in the bore of the gun and having attached thereto the life line 62. one of great economy in manufacture, and The construction just described is also likewise embodies the features of utility, safety and efficiency above referred to.

The particular constructions shown are merely illustrative embodiments of my invention, which may be variously modified within the scope of my claims. Thus, the

gun may have a breech mechanism instead of a fuse hole, provided the gun be pivoted at its breech end to abase of the general type shown. Again, while I have shown the base built up from well known types of standard structural metal, it may be cast throughout if preferred. Other types of structural metal ma be employed equally well without departing from my invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim '1" 1. In a line throwing gun, 'agun base comprising structural metal side bars, means for spacing the same apart a gun pivoted at its breech end to one end of the base, strut means straddling the gun body and extending toward the opposite end of the base and secured thereto, and means associated therewith for varying the elevation of the gun.

2. In a line throwing gun, a pair of parallel, flanged base bars spaced apart, a gun pivoted at its breech end therebetween, strut means straddling the body of the gun and extending toward the opposite end of the base bars and connected thereto, and means associated therewith for varying the elevation of the gun. I

3.111. a line throwing gun, a gun carriage of elongated generally rectangular shape in plan, and comprising low side members spaced to receive between them a gun breech, a pivotal connection between the carriage and the breech of the gun beyond the bore of the latter and transverse to the axis thereof, a saddle mounted on the gun barrel, and supporting means arranged on opposite sides of the gun barrel and operatively connected to the saddle to support the gun at different angles of elevation.

4. In a gun, a base comprising a pair of parallel spaced angle beams, a 'base casting secured between the flanges of said beams at one end of the latter, a spacer between the opposite ends of said beams, a cannon pivoted at its breech end to said base casting in combination with strut bars extending from the opposite end of said base beams and means for clamping the gun barrel thereto at various angles of elevation sub stantially as described.

5. In a gun, a base comprising a casting adapted to rest upon the ground, spaced side members extending forwardly therefrom and also adapted to rest upon the ground to afford an extended gun support of substantially U-shaped, a cannon pivoted at its breech end to said base casting, in

combination with supporting means rising from said side members, and means associated therewith for engaging and supporting the gun at various angles of elevation.

6. In a gun, a substantially flat-bottomed gun base adapted to rest upon the ground, and comprising a thrust-receiving portion at one end, and ground-supported side members extending forwardly there-from'to form means rising from said side members, and

a base structure of substantially U-shape, a means associated therewith for engaging and cannon pivoted at its breech end to said supporting the gun barrel at various angles 10 thrust-reeeiving portion of the base and of elevation in firing position. 5 adapted to be lowered substantially into the In testimony whereof I have signed my plane of said side members for compact name to this specification.

storage, in combination with supporting JOHN H. SAYRES. 

